.
Obviously, all types of people were represented in the masses of people
who headed West in the 1840's. However, it is possible to offer two
broad generalizations. First of all, most of the people were probably
successful types who had done reasonably well for themselves in the east.
The trip west was generally an expensive proposition. Up front capital
was needed for wagons, draft animals, hardware supplies, and food supplies.

Second, people had
to be "risk takers". Traveling the 2,000 miles overland was a dangerous
undertaking with no guaranties of success.